Obskkvlt interview

Hey! First of all, for those who have missed your band before: What does Obskkvlt is all about?

Hrodiriks: Obskkvlt is a two-brain band, founded by Athal-Berath and Hrodiriks, which is in search of occult knowledge and euphony using musical expression via death, black, industrial and groovy dark melodies.

What can you tell me about Obskkvlt latest album “Blackarhats”?

Hrodiriks: “Blackarhats” is our first album, which took almost 4 years in the making, and which just begins a journey about what Athal-Berath and me want do communicate.

When your fans can hear something new after “Blackarhats”? I mean if there is scheduled some info about new album.

Hrodiriks: We are generating new material, but as you probably understand, “Blackarhats” was just born a couple of months ago, took 4 years until the last day in the studio, and our next stuff will surely take time to be polished and filtered by us.

Do you have enough of positive feedbacks about the album so far?

Hrodiriks: The feedback is being amazing. We were worried about which tags would people put to our music, but finally the death/black/industrial/groove is becoming an standard, and we are being related in most reviews with so many bands that we love and admire… It’s great and we feel honoured, and in some way we have the feeling that so many positive opinions are a prize for the colossal effort we made to compose, arrange, record, produce, with such legends as Nick Barker (drummer for Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of FIlth, Brujeria, Lock Up) and Daniel Bergstrand (producer of Meshuggah, Behemoth, Decapitated, Strapping Young Lad) working in “Blackarhats”.

Nooirax Producciones released your album, so how you can value your collaboration, will you continue with them?

Hrodiriks: We are so happy to be supported by Alex Nooirax. His attention towards us was great since day one. He helped with all the digital release stores and platforms, he is helping among others with our promo agenda, is a small and authentic label and does what he loves by the only true reason that exists: because you love it. Same thing happens to us: we do this because we fucking love and need to do it.

You’ve been active as a band for close to 6 years, what helps you to continue with the music?

Hrodiriks: I think this is answered in the previous question. We make music, lyrics, videos, and design, and all the related production, because we just feel the urge to do it. Athal-Berath and me have been working together for a really long time. We make a good team, and are complementary to each other. At the same time, we have so many common interests, likes, and criteria. Not many times in life do these synergies occur, so let there be Satan.

Is it enough easy to play metal and have stable line-up in your part of the country? Can you live from album sales?

Hrodiriks: Obviously it’s not: it’s a nightmare. We were so proud of having Nicholas in our record, but finding someone to keep the level of his drumming in our live shows was not an easy task. Album sales are a thing of the past. You can count on a few collectors in case of making physical copies, but today’s market is 99,99% digital downloads or streaming… A few platforms (e.g. Bandcamp are a good deal for the musicians, and pay fair prices for tha sales, which is fantastic. But we all now that to have some kind of economical return from album streaming in the most important platforms is almost impossible when doing not mainstream music like us. Is a tragedy. At least from physical copies you get a part that you can count on. But it’s our time.

Quite a few people have been involved in Obskkvlt since its inception. How did you come to find a stable, permanent line-up of members?

Hrodiriks: Obskkvlt is Athal-Berath and me. He is in charge of all visual, videographical and conceptual stuff, and I’m in charge of sound and music. Unaeker is our third brother, and he is in charge of production and strategies.

Which song off of “Blackarhats” would you choose to play if you wanted to create a new fan of Obskkvlt?

Hrodiriks: “Onomaturge”.

Which was the band that made you go, “that’s it–I’m starting a metal band!”?

Hrodiriks: Thanks so much for your time and energy. Please take a listen to our album “Blackarhats”, you can find it in all digital stores. We will try to do our best to make you feel something special, intense, and obscure. Very soon our live shows will begin and we have great expectations on this, so please follow us on our social media.